JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 9:41 AM ^

We have highly ranked OL prospects in spades. Our starting line last year featured three guys who were top 100 recruits. Another was #125. The 5th starter changed a few times but the four star was in there. Our 6th best OL was top 100 too. We STILL couldn’t pass block.

At OL more than any other position, it doesn’t matter where you’re ranked. It’s nothing more than a projection. The player still has to come in, develop, and learn.

MichiganStan

May 25th, 2018 at 8:30 PM ^

I know some dont care but damn this is crushing me. The state of Michigan has TWO top 10 recruits in the nation. Both are OTs ranked #2 and #3 in the nation at their positions. One has already committed to Wisconsin and now the other isnt even relatively interested in us. To have two 5 stars in state at our most needed position yet not get either blows

JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 9:44 AM ^

No it’s riding on the whin if teenagers. He’s clearly upset about the lack of interest from two OL prospects in state. Getting high ranked OL prospects in no way determines the success of your line. I mean... look at where the guys starting on our line last year were ranked as prospects.

GoBlueInAlabama

May 25th, 2018 at 9:29 PM ^

Will Campbell was not a bad football player. He made it to the NFL. I just saw a player at Michigan that could have been much more based on potential alone. Perhaps it was the coaching at the time or position switches.
This is no slight on Big Will. I just saw a kid that took until his senior season for things to start to come together.

JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 9:59 AM ^

Nobody said he was a bad football player. He was just a project with high potential that never panned out. He was projected to be one of the top DTs in the country. It never happened. He was a bust. The comparisons to Dobbs are there. He’s a project that has the potential to be one of the best OG (I don’t see him sticking at tackle) in the country. He could get there, he could not. It’s not outlandish to predict he won’t.

I wouldn’t use “He made it to the NFL” as an argument for Big Will. Fact is, he made it to the NFL based again, on his potential. They were hoping a 6’5” 311 man with incredible strength could be taught to block. They drafted him in hopes that they could teach him. They couldn’t, and he’s no longer in the league. It was a pick based on potential. Just like when NFL teams draft rugby players. It isn’t because they’re good football players, it’s about potential

SMart WolveFan

May 26th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^

..understand that UofM won't get constant top10 recruiting classes untill we prove we can do something with consecutive classes. Plus these kids mostly remember how the fanbase turned on Hoke and his top 10 recruiting classes when things went badly.

They don't want to be the next Shane Morris.

schreibee

May 26th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^

There may be some refusal to acknowledge what you claim in a general sense, but this particular recruitment was always playing out as if this player demanded some type of special treatment.
This DIDN'T just happen, we've been hearing of his antipathy to Michigan since he was a sophomore, I believe?
In other words, since long before any theoretical dip in JH's recruiting acumen you claim.
Some ppl just aren't good fits in some places. Who knows why?

StraightDave

May 25th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^

If the kid is a 3 star and commits to UM, he is extremely underrated and Harbaugh is a genius for finding the kid. However, if a kid is a 5 star and doesn’t pick UM, then the kid is extremely overrated and will suck even when he starts at OSU as a true freshman.

JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^

I mean... or you can just watch the kid play. Dobbs is a high potential player, but one that is pretty raw and is more of a tweener. He has the projected skill set of a tackle, but the size and build of a guard. So it’s going to take some tweaking and a learning curve to figure out where he fits best and get him caught up.

He could be good, he could be a bust. I’ve tended to lean towards a bust but that has nothing to do with his college choice. It’s just due to the fact that he’s probably a project and a guy who won’t see the field for a few years, and that just doesn’t scream top 10 prospect to me.

Being a bust doesn’t mean he won’t ever play and he won’t ever be a productive player. It simply means he’s not a guy who will live up to that lofty ranking.

Occam's Razor

May 26th, 2018 at 2:10 PM ^

Why would I trust my eyes when elite coaches from around the country (including our own) thinks Dobbs will do something and thus not bust? 

The whole point of my post is that coaches know better than us. 

I expect blind homerism on MLive and RCMB, not MGoBlog where reasonable takes used to be the norm even if we're all Michigan fans. 

schreibee

May 26th, 2018 at 2:35 PM ^

I don't know enough about OLine technique coaching to know why Dobbs is rated so highly despite appearing to be rather average, but I DO know the difference between a full court press by JH & staff to croot a player and a less-than-that effort.

And Dobbs has been stating he's getting less than "Wowed" for two years now, so...

I'm not that sure this staff loved this player. Whether they weren't convinced by his game or by his personality, THAT I do not know.

Now, the story with the OL Brown that committed to Wiscy (I believe?) - I really don't know what his motivation is, except maybe that they put a LOT of OL in the pros?

And there is a whole season left to be played before his decision becomes final, correct?

JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 3:11 PM ^

Exactly. Doesn’t mean he won’t be a good player, but for whatever reason, Michigan never put that full-court press on him. I’m sure JH has a reason. I trust that reasoning.

In regards to Brown, he grew up rooting for Wisconsin. They have a history of great OL development, it’s a great college town, they have really good academics. Wisconsin isn’t a bad choice for anybody, especially an offensive lineman. Can’t fault a kid for choosing Wisconsin, especially when they grew up rooting for that team.

schreibee

May 26th, 2018 at 3:46 PM ^

Thanks for the info! Was not aware Brown was a Wiscy fan, that certainly makes a difference. (I'm a huge Whiskey fan of a different type!)

Anyway, like I said, this next season could go a long way towards opening his eyes to what Michigan has to offer, if Warriner and Shea do what we hope!

JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 3:06 PM ^

Coaches take chances on guys with high potential all the time. They don’t always reach it. We’ve seen it multiple times just here at Michigan. Raw guys with tons of potential and a lot of offers that just never put it all together. It happens.

Dobbs fits that mold. He has really good feet and quickness. But he needs to improve his technique and get a lot stronger. If he can do that, he can be really great. But that’s an if. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t. I don’t think it will, but that doesnt mean he won’t. It doesn’t mean teams shouldn’t give him a shot. And it isn’t going to stop teams from giving him a chance in hopes that he does reach that potential. Top 10 prospects are supposed to be seen as guys who are a sure thing. Dobbs isn’t a sure thing. In that regard, he’s probably overrated. Much like Magnus, I’m not all that high on the kid. If you watch his tape and watch him in camps, you can see he has faults right now and needs some coaching and to hit the weight room.

Magnus

May 25th, 2018 at 9:30 PM ^

The video from The Opening, or Dobbs's top eight? I don't care about the video at all. (In fact, if anything, it shows what we already knew, that he has good feet but needs to get stronger; and it shows improvement, if those clips are shown chronologically.)

As for the top eight, I don't care much. Maybe a 4 out of 10. I'm not high on Dobbs, both as a player or as a fit for Michigan's scheme.

bronxblue

May 25th, 2018 at 10:17 PM ^

It does seem like there's this divide with how he's evaluated. I've seen a couple places, not even UM-based ones, where people look at his tape and wonder if he can really be a consistent performer at the next level, and then you look and he's the #10 player in the country. Is it just because of his size and quickness? It is just hard to square.

JonnyHintz

May 26th, 2018 at 10:06 AM ^

Size and quickness are things you can’t teach. The hype with Dobbs is based on his potential. The hope with him is that he can get stronger and improve his technique, all while maintaining his quickness and balance. If he can put it all together, he can be really good. I’ve just never been all that high on him, especially as a top 10 prospect. I don’t see it happening, although it’s not like it’s impossible.

Farnn

May 26th, 2018 at 12:46 AM ^

The need on OL is less acute than many fans think.  The guys to fix it are likely already on the team.  Between Hayes, Mayfield, Honingford, and Stueber they have the young OT bodies they just need to develop.  And there are a plethora of guard types on the roster with a few more commited.  They certainly need a few tackle recruits, but they aren't counting on a true freshman to fix the OL in 2019.

DJMich23

May 25th, 2018 at 9:06 PM ^

If he doesn't want to go to best program in his state that's his problem. I've been very critical of Michigan as of late but this doesn't move the needle for me. I wish him well but Michigan will be just fine without him.